Lincoln Nautilus vs Chevrolet Bolt

The 2026 Lincoln Nautilus had a stately and commanding presence, characterized by its distinctive grille that hinted at a horse collar design. The grille's mesh was black across all models, but the Lincoln star trim elements varied in chrome, copper, or black, depending on the trim level or appearance package. A prominent Lincoln logo was centrally placed, flanked by squinting eye-slit headlights with winged LED light signatures. The body of the Nautilus sat wide and proud, featuring a contrasting black roof and pillars. The door handles were cleverly integrated into the shoulder line, maintaining a sleek appearance. The slab sides were accentuated by a spear-shaped design element along the upper doors, which included Nautilus lettering and extended into the front fenders. The rear boasted a spoiler and a full-width taillight within a black trim piece, also featuring Lincoln lettering. Standard 19-inch alloy wheels were offered, with options for 20s, 21s, and 22s. The Jet Appearance Package added satin dark luster wheels and black accents for a more aggressive look.

Inside, the Nautilus adopted a unique, high-end aesthetic with a large 48-inch screen at the base of the windshield. This required a repositioned steering wheel with a flat top to avoid obstructing the view of the speedometer. The interior layout, though functional, was unconventional and featured a stepped design from the low-set centre console to the infotainment touchscreen and culminating in the wide display screen. The base Premiere trim offered black or grey synthetic leather upholstery, while the Reserve trim upgraded to leather with a chocolate brown option. The U.S. test vehicle showcased the Black Label trim, which was not available in Canada, and some features were exclusive to the U.S. market.

The 2027 Chevrolet Bolt EV returned with a familiar look, maintaining its styling with slight changes. The front end resembled a conventional gas-powered car more than an EV, with a thin slot behind the Chevy Bowtie logo and an integrated grille insert in the bumper. The 2027 model continued from where the 2023 version left off, straddling the line between a large hatchback and a subcompact SUV, referred to as an "EUV" or electric SUV. Chevy only brought back the EUV body style for 2027, emphasizing utility and interior space over a sporty stance. The RS model added gloss black exterior trim for a touch of flair.

The interior underwent a more dramatic makeover while retaining its basic structure. A larger digital instrument panel and infotainment touchscreen were prominent features. The push-button gear selector was moved to the steering column, freeing up storage space in the centre console. The cabin was dominated by hard plastic surfaces, reinforcing the Bolt's budget feel, though elbow touch points had thin padding. The base LT trim featured cloth upholstery, while the RS trim upgraded to Evotex synthetic leather with red stitching. The rear seating area also had an abundance of hard plastics and lacked padding for the door armrests.

The 2026 Lincoln Nautilus offered modest power for its price, with a standard turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine producing 250 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque. This was adequate for a typical midsize SUV, but luxury buyers often expected more, especially given the vehicle's weight of over 2,000 kilograms (4,500 pounds). The engine was paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and came standard with all-wheel drive (AWD). The hybrid variant, which was tested, used the same engine but added a larger turbo and an electric motor, boosting output to 310 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. It employed a continuously variable transmission (CVT) designed for a smooth and quiet driving experience. The hybrid's 0-96 km/h time improved from about 7.5 seconds to approximately 7 seconds, which was still considered middling for a luxury vehicle. The Nautilus prioritized quiet, serene comfort over sportiness, featuring a MacPherson strut front suspension and a multi-link rear suspension with steel springs. The Reserve trim added adaptive dampers for a softer ride. The Nautilus offered various drive modes, including Normal, Conserve, Excite, Slippery, and Deep Conditions, with the latter two for adverse weather. The ride was smooth, even with the largest 22-inch wheels, though the dampers were too soft to quell secondary motions on rippled surfaces.

The 2027 Chevrolet Bolt EV featured significant changes under the surface, with a new 65-kilowatt-hour lithium-iron phosphate battery pack that reduced costs and required fewer rare earth minerals. A new motor from Chevy's Equinox EV delivered 210 horsepower and 169 pound-feet of torque to the front wheels, with a 0-100 km/h time similar to the previous Bolt EV, typically in the low seven-second range. While this acceleration might seem slow by EV standards, it was quick compared to gas-powered subcompact SUVs and responded immediately to pedal inputs. One-pedal driving was available with medium or high levels of brake regeneration, though the highest setting could be jumpy at low speeds. The ride was firm but not overly stiff, with drivers feeling road imperfections without shockwaves through the cabin. The absence of an internal combustion engine made road noise more noticeable, but the stereo easily overcame it. Despite its tall, narrow stance, the Bolt EV was agile on curvy roads, thanks to the heavy battery in the floor, creating a low centre of gravity. On a full charge, Natural Resources Canada estimated a range of up to 422 kilometres, an improvement over previous models. The Bolt featured a Tesla-derived North American Charging Standard (NACS) charge port, with adapters for CCS and J1772 connectors. Charging speed increased to 150 kW, allowing a 10% to 80% recharge in 25 minutes.

The 2026 Lincoln Nautilus emphasized comfort for both front and rear passengers. It came standard with power-adjustable heated front seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, a heated steering wheel, active noise cancellation, ambient lighting, and a power tilt/telescoping steering column. Optional features included ventilated front seats, 24-way power front seats with a massage function, and heated rear seats. The second row offered excellent space for two adults or three in a pinch, with 1,095 millimetres of legroom. The rear seats were almost as sculpted as the front ones and included a fold-down centre armrest with cupholders. Cargo space was generous, with 1,030 litres available with the rear seats upright and 2,020 litres when folded flat. A power liftgate was standard, with a hands-free version available for added convenience.

The 2027 Chevrolet Bolt EV had a more upright driving position than a typical SUV, providing ample space for larger occupants. Taller drivers might have wished for more telescopic extension from the steering wheel, as some needed to scoot the seat forward to reach it comfortably. The rear seats were also upright, offering plenty of headroom and adequate thigh support. The floor was flat, reducing the penalty for centre-seat passengers. The Bolt could hold up to 459 litres of cargo behind the rear seats, which was small for the class but still sufficient for most users. A large bin underneath the floor and a sliding floor provided additional luggage space. The release latches for the rear seatbacks were easy to reach from the cargo area, and the seats folded flat with the cargo floor in its upper position. While there was no frunk, ample storage was available for personal items up front, including a large bin with movable dividers, a big floor tray, and a deep centre armrest bin. Additional pockets in the dashboard and moderate door pockets provided further storage options.

The 2026 Lincoln Nautilus took a unique approach to technology with a full-width, 48-inch screen at the base of the windshield. This screen displayed essential information such as maps, weather, date and time, fuel level, cruise control status, trip meter, compass, fuel economy, tire pressure, and current media. Some information was always on display, while other bits could be chosen as widgets via the traditional 11.1-inch touchscreen below. This lower touchscreen handled typical infotainment controls like navigation, climate settings, audio functions, and phone mirroring via standard wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Additional features included a 5G Wi-Fi hotspot, a digital key, satellite radio, remote start, and a wireless smartphone charger. The standard audio system had 10 speakers, with options for a 14-speaker Revel system and a 28-speaker Revel Ultima 3D unit. Lincoln offered Digital Scent perfume spritzing and Lincoln Rejuvenate, which used scent, seating position, seat heating or ventilation, seat massagers, interior lighting, and temperature for relaxation programs. The steering wheel had a pair of five-way controllers for cruise control and voice controls, with a centrally located volume dial on the centre console.

The 2027 Chevrolet Bolt EV featured an 11-inch digital instrument panel and an 11.3-inch centre touchscreen, shared with the Chevy Colorado midsize truck. The infotainment system ran on a Google-based operating system, meaning Apple CarPlay and standalone Android Auto were not supported. Instead, users paired their phones via Bluetooth for personal music libraries, with enough browsing control to satisfy. The optional Technology package added a surround-view camera system, a digital rear-view mirror, additional safety features, and a wireless charging pad. The infotainment system was user-friendly, with logical menus, sharp graphics, and quick responses. Separate physical climate controls reduced distraction, and streaming entertainment options compensated for the lack of Apple CarPlay. The navigation system helped drivers find charging stations and preconditioned the battery for optimal charge rates. The Bolt EV also offered vehicle-to-load charging, allowing it to serve as a backup power source for a home during outages, though additional equipment and installation were required.

The 2026 Lincoln Nautilus was equipped with a comprehensive suite of standard safety features, including a surround-view camera system, adaptive cruise control, lane centring steering, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, high beam assist, blind spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, rear parking sensors, forward collision warning with pedestrian detection and intersection assist, and automatic emergency braking. Lincoln BlueCruise, a hands-free driving system, was also standard and included for four years. BlueCruise was effective, performing automatic lane changes, but it required driver monitoring and could be overly sensitive. The Nautilus scored well in crash tests, earning a perfect five stars from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and a Top Safety Pick rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

Crash test results for the 2027 Chevrolet Bolt EV were not available at the time of writing, but it was expected to achieve high scores based on its platform. Standard advanced safety features included forward-collision warning with automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-keep assist, blind-spot monitors with active steering assist, and a safety alert seat. The optional Technology package added a surround-view camera system, a digital rear-view mirror, rain-sensing wipers, rear pedestrian alert, and traffic-sign recognition. GM's Super Cruise hands-free automated highway driving system was available for an additional cost, making the Bolt EV one of the few budget EVs to offer such an advanced system.